Taophila Heller

Samuelson, Allan, 2010, Review of Taophila, a genus endemic to New Caledonia (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae), Zootaxa 2621, pp. 45-62 : 46

Taophila Heller

Taophila Heller, 1916 . Sarasin & Roux, Nova Caledonia, Zoologie 2(3):305–306.

Eumolpinae . Characterized by Taophila subsericea Heller. Meso- and metatibia entire along preapex; claws appendiculate; prothorax with anterior margin of proepisternum straight, anterior margin of prosternum not excavated, and basal mouthparts not hidden when head is in repose; pygidial groove well-impressed. Allied to Dematochroma Baly but prothorax narrowed to base and appearing constricted relative to basal elytral breadth; elytra together usually wedge-shaped, broadest basally and gradually narrowed to preapex; elytral puncturation usually mixed, often irregular or confused on inner basal disc and then arranged in ± regular rows apically and laterally. Sexes generally dimorphic: males usually smaller with a more uniform sculpture on elytral disc and with abdominal ventrites less modified. Abdominal ventrites in females usually with ventrite 1 greatly enlarged, shield-like or broadly flattened to concave or subglobose basally and then bent apically to conform with following ventrites; ventrite 1 sometimes with paired tubercles on posterior margin; ventrite 2 of more normal appearance but sometimes with paired tubercles on posterior margin.

Type species: Taophila subsericea Heller